Wholefoods And Healthfoods: Beliefs And Attitudes

This article attempts to “understand alternativism as a social phenomenon in general and more specifically those aspects of it which relate to diet and health.”

A strong relationship was noted between readers of health magazines and WHO (whole, health, or organic) diets, as opposed to the relation to vegetarianism, which is considerably weaker.

The strongest relationship was between vegetarianism and the use of alternative therapies. The use of alternative therapies is considered to go beyond “health” according to respondents.

The most extreme vegetarians were not the most highly involved in alternative activities.

Vegans were highly involved in several activities.

Red meat avoiders were the most frequent users of alternative therapies, the most frequent readers of health magazines, the second highest readers of  human potential magazines and members of “green organizations.” Health food consumers are the least alternative of any group.

The association of diet versus activities shows that the most and least extreme vegetarians that are involved in the most alternative activities in other respects.

This study concludes that there is a link between all forms of alternative diet and other forms of alternativisim.

Vegetarians are no less alternative than others including whole and health food consumers.

Gender and age also affect the relationship between diet and alternativism, but the specific effects are not uniform or readily observable.